By Arsht Center Staff

Armando Santana, a 16-year-old sophomore at New World School of the Arts high school, has been named the top reviewer of the inaugural installment of the Adrienne Arsht Center Student Reviewer Program, a new education initiative in partnership with The Miami Herald that offers Miami-Dade students a unique, career-building experience that unites the world of arts and journalism. Armando was one of eight finalists whose review of The Sparrow made it to the final round of judging. Armando is a Miami native and resident of Doral who studies theater and has a passion for play-writing. One of his plays, An Irrelevant Title, is currently in production in New World’s 2011 New Playwright’s Festival.

As part of the Center’s Student Reviewer Program, 45 students participated in a press conference led by the show’s creator, Nathan Allen, and the Center’s Executive Vice President, Scott Shiller. The students then attended an exclusive theater critique class given by Miami Herald theater critic Christine Dolen.

The real-life experience continued when participating students were invited to review the April 8 performance of The Sparrow (which was reserved almost exclusively for student media). Each student was given the full media experience upon arrival at the Adrienne Arsht Center, including a free “reviewer” ticket and press kit.

A panel of South Florida arts leaders selected the best review. Judges included Joseph Adler, Producing Artistic Director of GableStage; Janet Erlick, Executive Artistic Director of Ft. Lauderdale Children’s Theater; Andie Arthur, Executive Director of the South Florida Theater League; and Christine Dolen, theater critic for The Miami Herald.

Armando’s winning review appeared in the Herald and on a microsite created for the show and was Tweeted about by the Center.

“People see plays all the time. It’s hard not to catch on to the rich and diverse theatrical talent that we have here in South Florida,” Armando said. “And when a group of people gather in a theater to watch these lives play out on the stage before them, every last person within that audience will have their own opinion; and it is my personal opinion that this goes especially for the youth of today, who bring bright and innovative new points-of-view on the cultural anomaly that is art … I truly hope that the Student Reviewer Program inspires even more students all over Florida to get their words out there to the public. Especially on masterpieces, such as the visual grandeur that is The Sparrow. ‘Cause who knows? Maybe you just might end up on the Herald one day.”